


Even If We're Apart

by EdosianOrchids901



Series: Plain Simple Prompts [30]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Established Relationship, Feels, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, POV Elim Garak, POV First Person, Post-Canon Cardassia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 02:16:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16187993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdosianOrchids901/pseuds/EdosianOrchids901
Summary: Dialogue prompt: “This might sound crazy, but I’ve been dreaming of you.”





	Even If We're Apart

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a series of ficlets based on dialogue prompts from Tumblr. Written 6/18.

“Good morning, my dear.” I smiled broadly at Julian over the viewscreen of my decrepit, oft-malfunctioning comm unit. “And how are we today?”

_“Hallo, Elim. I’m fine._ ” He returned the smile, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. _“Not exactly morning for you, though. How was your day?”_

“Oh, you know. The same, more or less.” I cast a mournful look around my makeshift “house”. “I’ve done a bit more work on expanding the shed, although I’m afraid I’m rather lacking for roofing materials. To be fair, the significant hole would give a lovely view of the stars if not for all the dust and clouds.”

Amusement crinkled the corners of Julian’s eyes. _“I wish I was there to share the view with you, even if it is just clouds and dust.”_

“I wish you were as well.” Choking pain clutched at my chest – separation was proving difficult to bear. Trying to hide my grief, I asked, “Did you sleep well?”

He gave a lopsided smile that I immediately recognized as mild embarrassment. _“I did. And… this might sound crazy, but I’ve been dreaming of you.”_

Now filled with an odd combination of delight and heart-wrenching sorrow, I chuckled. “My dear Julian, it hardly sounds crazy. You frequent my dreams as well.”

His eyes misted a bit, and he nodded. _“Sometimes I’m not sure if it helps or just makes it more painful,”_ he admitted softly. _“I miss you, Elim. I just wanna be able to hold you again.”_

“And I miss you.” I pressed my palm to the viewscreen, and he mirrored the gesture. “And I know precisely what you mean. I consider it a great privilege when I see you in my dreams, but it does add a certain degree of additional loneliness to my waking hours.”

Julian nodded again, giving me a hint of a smile. _“It would be nice if our waking hours actually overlapped,”_ he chuckled.

“Admittedly, the distance does complicate this. It would be rather more convenient if Bajor and Cardassia weren’t essentially the complete opposite when it comes to daylight.”

_“Just a bit!”_ He placed his elbow on the console, propping up his chin on his palm as he studied me. _“How are you, Elim? Really, I mean. And don’t lie to me.”_

“Me? Lie about how I’m feeling? What a shocking suggestion, Doctor.” I winked at him, and he rolled his eyes. I hardly wanted to go into a long discussion of my various grievances with life, but I _did_ owe him at least something of an answer. “Things have been worse.”

_“Right. And?”_ He fixed me with a stern look, brooking no further reticence. _“Elim.”_

Pursing my lips, I blinked at him. “My sleep hasn’t been ideal lately,” I began, “and I’m afraid I’m quite stressed of late. Granted, stressed isn’t exactly unusual for me, especially given my current surroundings. We may have a slightly more stable situation here now, but Cardassia is hardly functioning like a proper society.”

_“Yeah, I’ve been reading the reports from the relief teams.”_ Julian frowned, narrowing his eyes and looking me over. I blinked at him again in response, and he gave a slight, disapproving shake of his head. _“Garak, have you eaten?”_

I answered with a flat smile – I knew I’d forgotten something today.

_“Elim!”_ He let out a huff, frustrated. _“Look, I know you’re busy, and I know you’re dealing with a lot right now. But you can’t just… not eat. It isn’t healthy, and you know it only makes you feel worse. You’ve got to take care of yourself, okay? I don’t wanna get to Cardassia and find that you’ve gone and starved to death.”_

I brightened at the mention of his arrival. “And when are you coming?”

_“Garak!”_ He glared at me again, and I only widened my smile. _“That’s not the point, and you damn well know it. Before you go to bed, make sure you eat something. And have a drink, too.”_

“I do believe I have some kanar laying around,” I teased, overwhelmed with fondness for him. I did like it when Julian fussed over me – it was a comforting feeling to know that someone cared.

_“Water, tea, or rokassa juice first.”_ He was in full lecture mode now, which only increased my feeling of warmth and fondness. _“Plus some sort of good, solid food. And make sure you actually sleep at some point too, all right? I know how you are.”_

I smiled, nodding. “I promise, I’ll take care of myself.”

_“Good, you’d better.”_ Relaxing now that I wasn’t being as obstinate, he grinned. _“And to answer your earlier question, soon. I haven’t quite figure out when yet, but it wasn’t exactly hard to convince Starfleet that more medical personnel were needed on Cardassia.”_

Relief flooded me, and I felt some of the tension in my shoulders release. “I eagerly await your arrival, my dear Julian.

He glanced down – likely at a padd - and his eyes widened. _“Oh damn, I’ve got to get to the Infirmary. I’m sorry, dearest.”_

“No, no, it’s quite all right.” I let out a long breath, savoring the sight of him for a moment longer. “Have a pleasant day at work.”

_“And I hope you sleep well.”_ Julian touched his palm to the screen again. _“I love you, Elim.”_

“And I love you, my dear.”


End file.
